For centuries, the venerated image of Jesus Christ in the Holy Sepulchre in Barangay Landayan, San Pedro City, Laguna has earned the devotion of millions of Catholic pilgrims who crowd the roads leading to Landayan every Friday.
For many devotees, the image of “Lolo Uweng” – said to be found off the shores of Barangay Landayan during the early days of the Spanish colonization of the Philippines – brings not only spiritual comfort but also miraculous cures from physical ills.
Almost every devotee, from the humble worker to the high-profile politician, can personally attest to the miraculous virtues of Lolo Uweng.
"Alas tres ng umaga ay nasa harapan ako ni Lolo Uweng, at nagsusumamo na dugtungan niya ang buhay ng aking maybahay sapagkat ako at ang aking mga anak ay hindi pa handa na mawalan ng aming minamahal na ina ng tahanan. Makalipas ang ilang araw, masayang ibinalita ni Dr. Corpuz: ‘Mayor, malaking milagro. Ang laki po ng improvement ni misis at sa Miyerkules ay pinatatanggal ko na ang kanyang respirator at pinalilipat ko na siya sa kuwarto mula sa ICU,’” former Biñan Mayor Hermis "Boy" Perez recounted, as found in the "Miracles" section of the Lolo Uweng Shrine website.
Today, to accommodate the ever-growing number of pilgrims not only from Laguna province but from all over the Philippines, the administrators of Lolo Uweng Shrine have kickstarted the construction of a larger “Pilgrim Church” behind the original shrine.
Recorded visitors
It is pilgrims like those of Lolo Uweng which have contributed to San Pedro City becoming one of the top tourist destinations in Laguna province, based on statistics released by the Department of Tourism (DOT).
During the “Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas” forum organized by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) last March 4, DOT Calabarzon Regional Director Marites Castro bared that the city now ranks sixth as among the “Overall Top 10 Destinations” in Calabarzon region in 2024.
The partial and unofficial report from the DOT’s Office of Tourism Development Planning, Research and Information Management (OTD/PRIM) showed that 5,799,682 tourists visited San Pedro City as of February 14, 2025.
Tagaytay City, Cavite topped the list with 50,326,257 tourists, followed by Antipolo City, Rizal (the site of another pilgrimage site, the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage), with 29,090,257 visitors.
Faith tourism
With the Holy Week now a little over a month away, Castro reported that the DOT regional office is now preparing for the expected rush of pilgrims who will visit the Lolo Uweng Shrine and other churches and shrines in Calabarzon region.
“Mayroon na po kaming ongoing training and community guiding na ibinibigay sa mga nagtatrabaho sa mga simbahan,” the DOT official said in reply to a question from OpinYon Laguna.
The tourism department has already started training for church workers in Batangas province and will soon conduct similar activities in other provinces in the Calabarzon region.
"Nakikipag-ugnayan na po kami sa mga local tourism officer, pati na rin po sa ating mga simbahan, upang maisaayos po ang mga tour na ating isinasagawa sa ating mga simbahan," Castro added.
Another program started by the DOT last year is the “Virgenes Coronadas de Calabarzon” program, which was aimed at promoting tours to canonically-crowned Marian shrines in the region.
Castro also said the DOT has coordinated with tour operators in order to promote tours to churches in Laguna province, or what she called the “Laguna Loop,” as part of “Visita Iglesia” activities during the Holy Week.
During Holy Week, it is a tradition for Filipino Catholics to visit at least seven churches during Holy Week, where they can pray and reflect on the upcoming commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Logistical concerns
At the same time, Castro said the DOT is now coordinating with various LGUs and tour operators to prepare for the possible logistical challenges during Holy Week, particularly traffic congestion near churches and pilgrimage sites.
“Sa second or third week of March, magkakaroon po kami ng ugnayan with our tour operators and our tourism establishments, particularly resorts, dahil alam naman po natin na hindi lang naman po pilgrimage sites ang binibisita sa atin every summer,” she explained.
"We are also coordinating with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and the Department of Health (DOH) for an intensified campaign para sa safety and security ng mga bumibisita dito sa atin," Castro added.
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